Polar Lows: Mesoscale Weather Systems in the Polar Regions

by Edited by Erik A. Rasmussen , John Turner

• ISBN13: 9780521624305
• ISBN10: 0521624304
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-06-16
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Polar Lows provides a comprehensive review of our understanding of the small, high latitude weather systems known as polar lows. These often-vigorous depressions are a hazard to maritime operations and high latitude communities, yet have only been investigated in detail since the 1960s. In this volume the authors describe the climatological distribution of these lows, the observational investigations into their structure, the operational forecasting of polar lows and the theoretical research into why they develop. They also discuss the experiments carried out with high resolution numerical weather forecast models that have shown that some polar lows can be predicted a day or more in advance. The book has been written by a number of experts within the field and has been carefully edited to form an integrated, cohesive volume. It will be of value to researchers in meteorology and climatology, as well as professional weather forecasters concerned with polar regions.

Table of Contents

List of contributors	vii
Preface	ix
Introduction	1	(51)
Polar lows and other mesoscale lows in the polar regions	1	(2)
A brief historical review	3	(7)
Definition	10	(2)
Nomenclature	12	(2)
Classification	14	(2)
Cloud signatures	16	(36)
Climatology	52	(98)
The Arctic	52	(56)
The Antarctic	108	(42)
Observational studies	150	(136)
The Arctic	150	(96)
The Antarctic	246	(40)
Theoretical investigations	286	(119)
Introduction	286	(1)
Baroclinic instability	287	(30)
Barotropic instability	317	(4)
Potential vorticity thinking	321	(14)
The role of thermal instability in polar low formation and maintenance	335	(58)
Further theoretical considerations	393	(13)
Summary and concluding remarks	406
Numerical simulation	405	(96)
The Arctic	405	(55)
The Antarctic	460	(41)
Forecasting of polar lows	501	(74)
Aspects common to both polar regions	501	(9)
Aspects of forecasting specific to the Arctic	510	(55)
Aspects of forecasting specific to the Antarctic	565	(8)
Future work required to improve forecasts	573	(2)
Conclusions and future research needs	575	(5)
The spatial distribution of polar lows and other high latitude mesoscale vortices	575	(1)
Possible climatic effects of polar lows	576	(1)
Observational and modelling studies	577	(1)
Formation and development mechanisms	577	(2)
Forecasting of polar lows	579	(1)
Final thoughts	579	(1)
References	580	(25)
Index	605